Photographic-printing machine



' Feb. 23 1926.

1,574,687 A. c. PILLSBURY PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet l f Attbvneg.

Feb. 23 1926. 7 1,574,681

A. c PILLSBURY PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING MACHINE Filed Nov. 14, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Znoentow A. CPIZZJbz r Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR C. PILLS/BURY, OF YOSEMITE, CALIFORNIA.

PHOTOGRAFHIC-IRINTING MACHINE.

Application filed November 14, 1922. Serial No. 600,891.

T 0 all whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR C. PILLS BURY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Yosemite, Yosemite National Park, State of California, have invented a new and useful Photographic-Printing Machine, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in printing machines for photographic plates and the principal object of the invention is to provide a machine which allows prints to be taken from a negative plate in large numbers and at a high speed. When it is desired to reproduce photographs in large numbers, as for instance, for the pur pose of selling them on postal cards, it is extremely desirable that the process be carried out with the greatest economy in view of the fact that the products have to be sold very cheaply, and on that account it often happens that due to the method now commonly used it is impossible to fill large orders at a profit. My device is primarily designed to allow of the reproduction of pictures on a large scale at a very small cost, and I have found that with my machine one man can do the work ordinarily done by ten men in a certain period of time. Further advantages and objects of my invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in whichFigure 1 shows an end view of my machine; Figure 2 a side view of the same; Figure 3 an enlarged detail View illustrating the principal working mechanism; Figure 4: a detail view of a rotary disc serving as a switch member; Figure 5 a plan view of the switch arrangement of which the disc forms a part; Figure 6 a modified form of a portion ofmy machine allowing of the enlargement. of the prints; Figure 7 a detail view of a roller and means for holding the same in frictional contact with a drum; Figure 8 a detail view explaining an adjustable engagement of an arm with a connecting link; and Figure 9 a wiring diagram. While I have shown only the preferred form of the invention I wish to have it understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claim hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The negative plate (1) from which the prints are to be taken .is supported in the end of a member (2) projecting from the box (3) in which latter is mounted a source of light- (et) in such a mamier that the rays of light fall through the member (2) upon the negative plate. The prints are taken successively on a long strip of sensitized paper (6), which is preferably wound on a spool (7) rotatably supported on a stationary member (8) and the extreme end of which is guided past the plate to be wound on a second spool (9) disposed above the plate in the manner shown in the drawing.

The working mechanism of my machine performs three distinct functions: Firstly, it causes the paper to be guided past the plate in intermittent impulses; secondly, it intermittently pushes the paper in contact with the plate during the intervals when the paper is at rest; and thirdly, it controls the source of light in such a manner that the latter becomes active only during the said intervals of rest.

The intermittent motion of the paper in longitudinal direction is brought about by means of a drum (11) andsa roller (12) engaging the paper from opposite sides, the roller being forced toward the drum so as frictionally engage the paper by means of springs (13 (see Figure 7) bearing against the shaft (14) on which the roller is mounted. The latter shaft is supported in slots (16) in horizontal arms (17) extending from the box in parallel and spaced relation. The drum (11) is rotatable on its shaft (18) and has a cog Wheel (19) fixed thereto, which latter is adapted to be rotated in one direction only by means of a pawl pivotally secured on an arm (22) secured to the shaft independently of the drum. The latter arm is actuated into oscillating motion by means of a link (23) pivotally connecting the same to an arm (2%) extending from the shaft (26) which latter is rotated continuously when the machine is in operation. Rotary motion is transmitted to the shaft (26) from the shaft- (27) by means of a chain (28), and the shaft (27) receives its rotary motion from the motor (29), the motion being transmitted by a worm (31) on a motor shaft (32) engaging a worm gear on the shaft (27). The engagement between the arm (24) and the connecting link (23) is shown in detail in Figure 8, from which it will be seen that a box (34;), forming a support for the pivot (36) engaging the end of the connecting tudinally.

link (23), slides in a slot (37) in the arm and is pushed in the slotby means of a screw (88) stationarily engaging the free end (39) of the arm. Turning the head (41) of the screw to the right or to the ieft re spectively will cause the box (3%) to travel in the slot and will change the radial distance of the pivot from the shaft By means of this adjustment the length of travel of the paper per oscillation may be determined, since the oscillations of the arm (22) will decrease in size if the pivot is moved centerwise and will increase as the pivot is moved in the opposite direction.

The second function of the working mechanism, that is the forcing of the paper into contact with the plate during the intervals when the paper is at rest, is performed by means of two cams (42) keyed to the shaft (26). These cams are in continuous engagement with a roller supported in two arms mounted in spaced and parallel relation to one another on the ends of a leaf spring (46), which latter engages with its central portion a rigid member (4-?) brid in the space between two cleats 4L8 b E: .L 1 secured on a pusner which latter is slidably supported in a bozslil-ze structure (51) in position parallel to the strip of paper and the plate. The pusher which is provided with a cover (52) of soft material is normally held in spaced relation to the strip of paper and to the plate by means of springs (53) engaging the cleats as shown at and pulling outwardly, the other end of the springs being connected to stationary members (56) secured to the boxlike structure (51). It will be noted especially by referring to Figure 8 that in the position of the cam indicated in said figure, the pusher (4-9) is out of contact with the paper and allows'the paper to move longi- This particular position, therefore, would represent a period during which the paper travels. 1 hen the paper comes to a stop the roller is engaged by the raised portion of the cam which forces the roller to the rightand (311x563 the arms to bear on the leaf spand to yieldingly push the pus e toward the paper, which going-slightly Jeyond the normal position of the pa er, pres es the same into contact with the plate substantially in the manner indicated in dotted lines in Fig ure 3. After the cam has rotated through a certain distance the roller is allowed to descend again and the pusher is returned to its normal position by the action of the springs (53).

The third function of my mechanism is performed by the disc (57) mounted on the shaft (26) and shown in detail in Figure This disc is made of metal but has an inlaid portion of insulating material (58) so that its surface is perfectly flush. The insulating material is arranged in steps and covers, near the periphery of the disc, about three-quarters of the same, while going toward the center it is stepped down to cover only one-half and finally a quarter only of the disc surface, while the portion immediately around the shaft is not covered by insulating material at all. The two brushes (59) and (61) are adjustably mounted on a pin (62) secured in a stationary support as shown at ((5%) and the ends of the brushes are adapted to frictionally engage the surface of the disc (57). The two brushes form the terminals of an electric circuit illustrated in Figure 9, including a source of electrical energy (66) and the light l) previously referred to. One of the brushes is adjusted so as to engage the disc near its axis so that it remains in metallic contact with the disc throughout the rota.- tion. The other brush (61) is adjusted to pass over the insulating material, the length of time for its en agement with the insulating material being determined by its respective position on the pin (62). So long as the second brush travels over the insulating material the circuit is broken and no light will appear in the box (3) and the disc is positioned on the shaft in such a manner that the time periods during which the light is active coincide with the periods during which the paper remains stationary.

The operation of my machine should be understood from the foregoing description. The shaft is rotated continuously and transmits through the arm (24) and the link (23) oscillating motion to the arm (22) which latter rotates the drum (11) in intermittent impulses and in one direction only, by means of the pawl engagement shown at (21). The roller (12) cooperates with the drum in pulling the paper upward, which latter is therefore caused to unwind from the spool. (7) to pass the plate and to be Wound on the spool (9) in intermittent impulses. The spool (9) is rotated continuously by means of a belt (-37) passing over pulleys (68) and (69) on the shafts (71) and (26) respectively. The engagement of the belt with the pulleys is suliiciently loose to allow of the slipping of the belt during the intervals the paper does not advance. During these latter periods the pusher (49) is actuated by the cam 42) to engage the paper with the plate, and at the same time the light is rendered active by means of the brush arrangement shown in Figures 4 and 5. The pusner arrangement is very elastic due tothe fact that the arms (44:) transmitting the motion of the roller (43) to the pusher do not engage the same directly, but only through the leaf spring (a6) which is adapted to yield in case the pusher should press too hard on the plate.

A slightly modified form of my device is shown in part in Figure 6. The arrangement shown in this figure allows of the enlargement of the prints and diifers from the device previously described only in so far as the plate (71) is mounted a considerable distance away from the strip of paper and that the rays are passed through a lens as indicated at (72) for the purpose of throwing an enlarged image on the paper.

I claim:

.In combination, a stationary plate support and a sliding pusher mounted in opposing relation, an electric source of light mounted rearwardly of the support, a rotary shaft mounted in front of the pusher, means driven'by the shaft for advancing a sheet ARTHUR. C. PILLSBURY. 

